Article By: Dominica Dieffenbach, RDN
Dominica is a Registered Dietitian currently specializing in the special needs pediatric population. She has over 15 years of experience as an RD, working with a wide variety of patients to provide them with individualized medical nutrition therapy and education.
In case you didn't know, Vitamin D is one of the four fat-soluble vitamins, and comes in two different forms — D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). It is lovingly known as “the sunshine vitamin” since the sun is our main source, and a vital nutrient which is essential for its many functions in a child’s growing body. Vitamin D is also a hormone, and it's most thought of for its role in bone growth from childhood through adolescence.
It also may help with many other vital functions, such as strengthening the immune system, supporting mental health, reducing inflammation, and preventing chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer that may affect us all later in life. That’s totally dynamite!
Vitamin D can come from food sources and is also produced endogenously when UV light hits the skin. However, many children have insufficient serum blood levels because they:
- Live in cities or states where sunlight is limited in winter
- Have darker skin pigment
- Spend most of their day indoors, away from the sun
- Have a milk allergy or have a lactose intolerance
- Have a higher percentage of fat in the body
You may be asking yourself, “What does my child need to eat to get enough Vitamin D?”. Well, unfortunately very few foods naturally contain Vitamin D, but here are some of the ones that do: salmon, sardines, and egg yolks, and some dairy products, non-dairy substitutes, orange juice and cereals can be fortified with Vitamin D for optimal nutrition. So, it can also be difficult for the average kiddo to get enough Vitamin D through their diet!
Now you can see why Vitamin D deficiency in children is a very common problem in both developed and undeveloped countries, especially in the colder months! But the good news is, it can be corrected with proper supplementation from a high-quality source like Renzo's Dynamite D3. Most studies show that Vitamin D3 is more effective than Vitamin D2 in raising blood levels of Vitamin D.
Check out the recommended intake information from the NIH below:
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Vitamin D
| 0-12 months | 400 IU |
| 1-13 years | 600 IU |
| 14-18 years | 600 IU |
Tolerable Upper Limits for Vitamin D
| 0-6 months | 1,000 IU |
| 7-12 months | 1,000 IU |
| 1-3 years | 2,500 IU |
| 4-8 years | 3,000 IU |
| 9-18 years | 4,000 IU |
As we head into the winter months — or if your child may be unable to get enough Vitamin D through diet or the sun during any month — it's more important now than ever to consider D3 supplementation with Renzo’s Dynamite D3.
Renzo's Vitamins provides general recommendations, not to be construed as medical advice.